The Grand Teton Music Festival was founded in 1962 as a part of a movement to actively develop cultural activities in Jackson Hole. The Festival was initially produced by the Jackson Hole Fine Arts Festival, and with the appointment of Ling Tung as music director in 1968, the Festival began growing into the organization we know and cherish today. Ling conducted concerts in a canvas tent at the base of Rendezvous Mountain in Teton Village. Envisioning the Festival as a summer retreat for ... Read More
The Grand Teton Music Festival was founded in 1962 as a part of a movement to actively develop cultural activities in Jackson Hole. The Festival was initially produced by the Jackson Hole Fine Arts Festival, and with the appointment of Ling Tung as music director in 1968, the Festival began growing into the organization we know and cherish today. Ling conducted concerts in a canvas tent at the base of Rendezvous Mountain in Teton Village. Envisioning the Festival as a summer retreat for the country’s top classical musicians, Ling and his spouse, Margot Walk, worked tirelessly with the Jackson community to open Walk Festival Hall in 1974. Through the years, the Grand Teton Music Festival has grown into one of the nation’s finest orchestral organizations, a tradition that continues to this day with our current Music Director Sir Donald Runnicles.
From July 2 - August 15, 2026, the Festival's Season 65 features seven weeks of world-class music led by Music Director Sir Donald Runnicles. This anniversary season celebrates the stunning natural beauty of Jackson Hole as our home, Walk Festival Hall, undergoes a transformative renovation. Classical gems and renowned soloists will grace the Festival stages as the Grand Teton Music Festival “camps out” at venues including the Jackson Hole High School Auditorium, the Center for the Arts, Teton Village Commons, and more.
Season 65 features performances by Capathia Jenkins, Daniel Luis Espinal, Eleni Calenos, José González Granero, The King’s Singers, Madeline Adkins, Maria Ioudenitch, the Punch Brothers and more. Masterworks of symphonic and chamber music grace GTMF’s stages including Beethoven’s Symphony No. 6, Rachmaninoff’s Piano Concerto No. 2, excerpts from Vivaldi’s The Four Seasons and much more.
GTMF’s mission to provide exhilarating musical experiences goes beyond presenting concerts at Walk Festival Hall. We’re committed to engaging with our community through interactive programs that reach people of all ages. Those programs include the following:
GTMF On the Road brings live classical music to audiences in Teton County and surrounding communities through free concerts presented in partnership with community organizations in welcoming locations. All ensembles feature members of the Festival Orchestra, made up of exceptional musicians from 84 orchestras and 72 institutions of higher learning. Stoner Family Education Curator Meaghan Heinrich leads programs that are accessible to all ages and bring the music to life with explanations and demonstrations.
Musical Adventures, led by Stoner Family Education Curator Meaghan Heinrich, are free, fun, informative and engaging music sessions for young children and their adult caretakers. Geared for listeners ages one through five, classes are also fun and accessible for all ages.
The Donald Runnicles Musical Arts Scholarship Competition is open to graduating high school seniors from Wyoming, Idaho or Montana who are pursuing a music degree in college. The first round is a pre-screened video submitted online.
Six semi-finalists will perform for a panel of judges including Maestro Donald Runnicles at Walk Festival Hall. Three finalists will compete for $50,000 in scholarship awards and the first-prize winner will be invited to perform as a soloist with the Wyoming Symphony Orchestra (WSO) in its upcoming season. WSO performance details to be discussed following the conclusion of the competition. The semi-finals and finals are free to attend and open to the public.
1st Prize: $25,000 & a soloist performance with the WSO
2nd Prize: $15,000
3rd Prize: $10,000
StringFest unites local orchestra students from across the community for an immersive, weeklong workshop led by Grand Teton Music Festival. GTMF & Utah Symphony violinist Barbara Scowcroft leads the eighth-grade students and 15-year GTMF veteran & Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra violinist Lorien Benet Hart leads the high school students.
Coombs Outdoors and GTMF have partnered to create access to music lessons and opportunities for Coombs Outdoors participants. The Coombs Ukulele Club offers ukulele lessons to Coombs participants once a week for the duration of the summer, followed by a public performance.
Preconcert talks take patrons beyond the program notes with educational and engaging presentations about the evening’s performances in the Barbara Furrer Goodman Memorial Garden. Free with Festival Orchestra concert ticket.
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